


Strangers 'til now

by Illumini



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-11 14:19:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16477181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illumini/pseuds/Illumini
Summary: In order to restore the former glory to the Gobln Kingdom Jareth's brother plans to overthrow the king. The only thing he needs in order to achieve his goal is the human female Sarah Williams.When Sarah and Jareth need to run the Labyrinth together they will face their darkest fears and they will reveal some truth that would otherwise stayed hidden. Will Jareth and Sarah make it in time in order to stop Jareth's brother?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have an obsession with Labyrinth. I grew up loving the movie and I'm loving it still. The Death of David Bowie left me heartbroken :'(. He'll always be the Goblin King for me.  
> I wrote lots of fanfiction about Labyrinth, but I never posted any. I decided to change this now. So here is the first draft. The story is complete, but I need to re-read the chapters, before posting.  
> Please enjoy reading and give feedback! Thank you!
> 
> ~Labyrinth and all it's characters are sadly no invention of my brain and belong to the Jim Hanson Company.~

He looked into his crystal and saw nothing.

He narrowed his eyes but the crystal shimmered only lazily in his hand mirroring the reflection of the sun and sky, revealing only a white mist. He tossed the ball angrily away and before it would actually hit the ground it disappeared. Jareth frowned again and looked out of the window over his labyrinth.

A crow took of in the distance and flapped towards the sky.

Jareth hands clenched around the window sill. His eyes fixed upon the black bird circling the trees.

He turned at his heel and strode gracefully from the room. The bird was laughing in the distance...

She entered the train station and it was as crowed as she had expected it. Tomorrow was a holiday and everyone was heading back home.

The thought of home filled here with a pleasant warm feeling. She hadn't been home for a while now and she was looking forward to seeing Karen and her Dad and of course her beloved, little Toby. And she was also happy to see her little sister. She was only four years old by now, but she was the cutest thing Sarah had ever seen. Toby was not so fond of her, since she took all the attention away he would have normally received.

Sarah had to smile at that thought, since not so very long ago she had thought the same about Toby.

Which lead her inevitable to another memory, which she pushed away as fast as possible.

She checked her ticket again for the platform. Pushing through hundreds of people, she dragged her heavy suitcase behind her and maneuvered herself to the right place. She had to carry everything down a staircase and she was puffing when she finally arrived at the train.

She still had ten minutes left before departure.

When she entered the train people were already stuffed into the entrance. ' _Of course_ ,' she thought. ' _No one would get the splendid idea to travel by train around holidays.'_

With her luck she would have to stand next to her luggage the following three hours. But she entered the wagon nevertheless, it could not hurt, to take a look around, although she had to carry her stuff through the narrow passageway, taking care not to hit anyone.

To her astonishment it did not take her long and she found a vacant seat. Next to it was sitting a man in a black suit. His face was hidden behind a newspaper and he looked very busy.

'Excuse me Sir, can I sit here?' she asked politely. After 10 seconds there was still no answer from the man and she wondered if he had actually heard her. She considered to ask again and then decided to put er case under the seat and just sit down.

She fell into the seat with relief and opened her thick coat and removed her scarf. Afterwards she stuffed it into her handbag and took out her smartphone to check the time, when she felt the train was moving. Her head turned to the window but her view was blocked by the newspaper from that very rich looking guy.

' _Maybe he fell asleep,'_ she mused and returned her attention to her phone.

“ _Please remember to bring Toby a present!”_ was the newest message from Karen. Sarah rolled her eyes. Of course she would NOT bring Toby a present for his birthday. Sometimes she wondered if Karen was thinking that she was still 10 instead of 25 with her head stuck in the clouds.

That time was very far away by now. She had a job, lived in a small flat and was able to cook for herself and do the laundry and cleaning. Of course she was very different around 10 years ago, but one special _incident_ had changed it all. She learned being responsible for her actions the hard way and partly she was thankful that _someone_ had helped her to grow up, before it was too late.

Of course she was still a dreamer at heart. She loved to draw, reading fantasy novels and she was only watching movies where impossible things would happen. A mundane love story would never satisfy her.

Lost in her thoughts and checking her Instagram account, she did not realize when first the man next to her had actually moved and was now talking to her.

'Miss? Do you have a handkerchief for me?'

Startled Sarah looked up from her phone and turned into the direction of the voice. When she saw the man from whom the voice was coming, her eyes grew large.

He was the best looking man she had ever seen, with one exception, of course.

He was wearing a black suit with a black low-cut neckline shirt, giving a good hint of the muscles to expect further down. His face was perfectly shaped with a hawkish look to it. A straight nose and very bright blue eyes surrounded by some spiky black hair, that gave him a bit of a devil may care appearance. His lips were formed a friendly smile and suddenly he spoke again.

'Miss?'

'A handkerchief, yes, one moment,' she stammered and began to rummage into her bag to hide her blush that crept over her cheeks as best as she could. Finally she found the package and took one from it and handed it over to him.

'Here,' she smiled triumphantly like she had found the holy grail in her pocket and felt slightly stupid for it.

'Thank you,' the man replied and he took the tissue from her and stuffed it into his pocket.

Sarah brows narrowed and she could not help but wonder.

'Won't you use it?'

She expected him to have a cold or something but taking a second look at him, he did not look sick at all on the contrary he looked like the healthiest man on earth.

The stranger smiled again and replied.

'But I used it already, to start a conversation with you.'

Sarah felt her cheeks getting hot again and she hated it.

'Is this some kind of pick-up trick? Then I am not interested at all, thank you,' she shot back and turned to give her attention back to her phone.

She heard him laugh a deep, but not too intimidating laughter.

'I am sorry Miss. No pick-up trick, just normal conversation to kill some time. A long ride on a train can become really boring when travelling alone and I already read through my newspaper.'

He folded the paper neatly and put it aside.

Sarah did not want to be impolite but she could not understand why a handsome and obviously very rich man would have to travel alone in a train in the first place. Her only explanation was that he was here to flirt with young women and maybe getting her numbers to have a quick bit of fun and then never calling again. He could have every girl in the world.

Although her mind quickly made up a scene with her in his arms, she shoved it away. She was hardly ready for any relationship by now. The last one had been horrible enough with a boyfriend leaving her only a note with the key to her apartment in her mailbox telling her the usual nonsense of “ _It is not your fault, it's mine and lets stay friends and so on_ ”. Her heart had torn into two pieces reading that letter and he had also kindly blocked her number, so she was not even able to talk it out.

Remembering this particular bad memory her eyes narrowed and she pressed her lips together. ' _Ha!_ ' she thought. Her Ex would love to see her talking with the best looking man in the world! Yes, Sarah Williams WAS attractive and obviously worth the attention of this Adonis! Why not having a short chat with him even if the strangers intentions are solely about sex, she did not care. She needed this right now for her broken heart and her self-confidence.

“I am Sarah Williams. Nice to meet you.”

And the man's smile became broad.

When the Taxi stopped in front of her parents house around 8 p.m. In the evening, Sarah was very happy to be home again. She heaved the luggage from the trunk and made her way to the door.

Before she could open it with her key Toby was throwing himself into her. “

'Sarah!' he screamed. 'Mom, Dad, Sarah is here, she is here!' he cried out in joy again and Sarah ruffled through his hair to greet him.

'Hello Toby, thanks for the welcoming committee.'

A few moments later, Karen and her father joined her in the entrance and embraced her each.

'It's nice to have you back home,' her father told her, 'let me bring your suitcase upstairs.'

'Thank you,' Sarah nodded.

When her father was busy carrying her stuff upstairs, Karen took her a moment to the side.

'Sarah, I am very sorry, but your father and I we will have to leave in one hour. We have an important appointment that we could not cancel. Please don't be mad, will you take care of Toby and the girl?'

Sarah grinned to herself. ' _They will never change, will they?'_ she thought but replied nevertheless. 'Sure, no problem. Don't worry, I am busy with unpacking and so on, so I won't get bored.'

'I am so relieved,' Karen told her and put a hand on her shoulder as a gesture of thanks.

After a short introduction about where Sarah would find the important things to take care of her small Sister, during which Toby tried a hundred times to steal the attention away, both her parents waved her goodbye and rushed to the car.

'Sarah! Let's play some game!' Toby insisted while tugging at her arm.

'Sure Toby, but first I need to check on your sister.'

Toby was rather unhappy with her answer and started pouting while he kicked at some random toy on the ground.

When she entered the room of her sister Penny, it was all dark except for a tiny night-light in the corner. Penny was already fast asleep, so there was not much to do for her during the absence of her parents, but she made sure that everything was all right.

The windows were firmly closed, the blanket was covering Penny from toe to shoulder and Lancelot was safely entwined into her sisters arms. Sarah smiled at the sight and left the room with a last glance behind.

When she came back to the living room she found Toby nearly out of his breath, smiling from ear to ear.

'What happened Tobs?”' she asked in confusion.

'I just did the best thing ever!' he laughed and jumped happily on the couch.

'Sure and what exactly is this best thing ever?' Sarah laughed with him.

'I wished her away,' he said with a solemn tone in his voice.

Sarahs laughter died immediately in her throat.

'You did WHAT?!' she nearly screamed at her brother and he finally stopped jumping, realizing that the situation had changed into something serious now.

He stepped from the couch and stood in front of Sarah and took her hand into his.

'Don't be so mad, please. I wished Penny away. I was so mad because she was getting all the attention and also if she is gone, I will receive much more presents on my birthday...so that's why,' he explained a bit awkwardly but Sarah did not wait to listen to the end of his speech, she dashed up the stairs with lighting speed, nearly broke the door to her sisters room, when she pulled it open and when she arrived at the bed it was empty.

She stopped dead in her motion and her hands reached to her mouth to stop her from screaming. She nearly cried out, when her brother suddenly started from behind her.

'There was this man and he told me, I should only wish her away and he would take her, so I did....I am sorry Sarah,' and he started to cry. He was only 10 by now and thick tears were running down his cheeks.

'It's okay, Toby,' she told him absentmindedly and put her hand onto his hair to reassure him, although she did not feel reassuring herself.

'Toby, what man are you talking about?' she asked very calmly.

'There was this man on the door, when you were checking on Penny,' he sobbed. 'I opened him and he told me, I only need to ask the Goblin King to take her away,' his sobs were getting heavier again.

_Goblin King..._

Sarahs eyes widened in shock and she was sure that she was dreaming. She heard herself ask robot like.

'What were the exact words?'

Toby sniffed and opened his mouth, but before he could answer the lights suddenly went dark.

Instead of his reply Toby screamed and Sarah swung her arms protectively around him.

Suddenly the wind was howling against the window and something else seemed to force its way into the room. A black bird scratched against the window. Sarah looked horrified at the window as it swung gracefully open and admitted the raven entrance. She was shocked nevertheless but not surprised when the bird flapped into the room and finally stood in front of her as a man dressed in black from head to toe.

Sarah shoved Toby behind her and stood up to meet her foe of old, but when she was level with him the light turned on again and she was blinded and had to lift her hand to her face.

'Hello Toby,' began the dark figure.

 _That voice_...it was somewhat familiar but then again totally not the way she remembered him.

When she lowered her hand the person in front of her was not the Goblin King, but the man from the train. Only this time not dressed in Armani, but something much more Goblin-like. Dark leather boots, black leather pants and a black shirt with a deep neckline. Around his shoulders a black cape was elegantly hold by two golden pins in the shape of ravens. He looked just as beautiful at Jareth had when he first entered her room, only this man had a much darker aura surrounding him, which was not only because he was clad in black, but his blue eyes were piercing right through her heart.

Sarah was too confused to be angry and her brain only managed to come up with one thing.

'You!'

The man threw his had back and laughed a dark and somewhat seductive laugh. Then he folded his arms and grinned. 'The young man here, hiding behind you, was so kind and allowed me to enter your house and,' he added with another mocking grin, 'to take away some of it's inhabitant.'

'You are not the Goblin King,' Sarah replied. She was not even sure if this was true. Maybe the Goblin King had died and this was his successor, or maybe Goblin Kings were even voted and Jareth had lost the last election, provided Goblins could read and write, which she doubted. She pushed these thoughts quickly away, she really needed to focus now.

'No I am not,' he replied his eyes narrowed and became even more unearthly.

'But,' he started again and made a grand gesture with his hands, 'I am his loyal servant,' and he bowed low.

'You see, my love, the Goblin King is very busy at times. Nasty business stealing all these children,' he added and started smiling again. 'And at times, he sends me to do the nasty work. Especially if he likes to avoid...' his eyes fixed on Sarah and she could not quite put the emotion she found in his features, 'old friends.'

'Where is Penny?' she asked, although she already knew the answer very well.

'In the Underground,' he replied untouched and swung himself around. 'And that's exactly were I am going just now. It was a pleasure seeing you and Toby again, but, it's _time_.'

'Wait!' Sarah nearly screamed the words out and although she did not intend to, she had touched the dark figure at his shoulder as if she would never let go of him again.

He stopped dead and turned very slowly, as if he had expected something like this to happen. He took her hand from his shoulder and held hers in his.

'Any second thoughts my love?' he asked, standing way to close to her body, she could even smell him.

'Yes, I want to do a bargain!' she announced.

Sarah repeated her words with much more force this time.

'I want to do a bargain to save Penny!'

'Indeed,' the strangers eyes seemed to sparkle and his lips twisted into a cruel smile and with one movement he pulled at her hand and she was forced into his arms. Shocked by the sudden motion the screamed into his chest and when she immediately pulled free she wasn't standing anymore in her parents house but in the vast lands that surrounded the labyrinth. The dark figure stood now a few feet away and studied her.

She gaped at the sudden change of surroundings and shot the man a dark look.

'What? We haven't even discussed the bargain at all! Why did you bring me here, this is outrageous!' she fumed.

'My, my, I just thought, better not discuss such urgent matters in front of a minor,' he leaned relaxed against a gnarled old tree.

'What about Toby? Where is he?' Sarah wanted to pull the figure and shake him for his arrogance and coolness.

'One thing at a time. Toby is safe at home. He is sleeping, having the best dream of his life, so he will not worry your absence,' he pushed himself from the trunk and came closer to Sarah. She instinctively made two steps back.

'As for the bargain, go on.'

Her head raced, she had to choose her words really careful or she would regret it in the end.

'I run the labyrinth again and if I win Penny can go home. If I lose I will stay instead of her, but she is free.'

Sarah was very happy with her words, but she did not expect the reaction that followed.

The dark figure seemed to be surrounded by lightning and his already wild black hair was flowing as if it had a will of it's own.

He held out his hand.

'Deal.'

'Deal,' Sarah answered and hesitantly move her hand to seal the pack. When she finally did she expected something terrible to happen, but nothing did.

'You know the rules, as I heard,' the man pulled his hand suddenly away and with one slow motion from it a clock appeared next to him showing 13 hours left.

'You have 13 hours time to reach the Goblin City, if you fail to reach it within time I'll win.'

'Okay...' she nodded slowly.

All of a sudden someone was applauding behind them and Sarah and the stranger moved their heads nearly as one in shock.

A mildly amused Goblin King was standing behind them. His eyes looked murderous and were locked onto the dark figure.

'Well played my dear brother,' Jareth smiled and slowly clapped his gloved hands a last time. 'Really, my dear Cáelán, as far as I am aware I am still the King ruling here and it is a pity that you rob me of the pleasure in stealing children.' Jareth was not smiling while he said this and shortened the distance between both men. The air was nearly electric and Sarah felt that something strange was going on, but she did not dare to interfere right now.

'Now, now I just thought I should have a bit of fun _Your Majesty,'_ the man that seemed to be Jareths brother and named Cáelán nearly spit the last two words, but he did not move.

'Let her go,' the Goblin King simply announced.

Cáelán moved faster than Sarah could handle and he had his arms around her in a blink of an eye. She wanted to protest and started to struggle but his arms pinned her to him without any escape.

'But she SO willingly offered herself,' Cáelán breathed into her ear and she shuddered, her eyes on the Goblin King.

'What is the deal Sarah?' Jareth asked, but his eyes were still on his brothers every action.

Sarah blinked, she was not sure if she had heard him right. Until now, she was not even sure if he had recognized her at all.

'I...I...' she started, but she got very much distracted by the otherwordly man standing behind her, breathing into her ear.

'The words Sarah, what.exact.words,' Jareth pressed on grinding his teeth.

'I run the labyrinth and if I win Penny can go home. If I lose Penny is free to go and I will stay,' she repeated and the man behind her intensified his grip even more. It started to hurt and she struggled again but eventually gave up.

For a near eternity no one was speaking and to her it seemed as if the time had stopped. Even her heart was not pounding anymore and she realized she was holding her breath in exasperation.

Jareth relaxed. 'I will run the labyrinth with her,' he replied matter of factly.

With that Cáelán instantly let go of her and Sarah stumbled forwards and nearly fell to the ground but she could catch her balance in the last moment.

Cáelán smiled in an evil way. 'But only on my terms. You run it has a human, without magic. If you both win, my loss, but if you lose, I am King and this one,' he inclined his head into Sarahs direction, 'she will become my Queen.'

Jareth looked indifferent but his eyes were burning. 'Deal,' and the both men shock hands.

Sarah witnessed this scene open mouth. She could not quite grasp what was happening. One moment she was at home, then her brother was wishing away his small sister, the Goblin Kings brother appeared and Sarah did a bargain with him and all of a sudden the Goblin King interfered and both men decided that Sarah should become Queen and this time not the Queen of stench but of the Labyrinth. This was more than Sarah's brain was able to handle at a time and she wanted to protest and scream something like, “ _This is not fair!_ ” but before she could say anything Jareth grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her away.

Sarah stumbled and turned her head but the dark figure was gone and only the old clock was standing on the hill, ticking slowly but steady.

They arrived soon at the outer wall of the Labyrinth and Sarah chose this moment to pull her hand free from Jareth's grip. He did not even seem to realize it, but he studied the wall. Sarah wanted to yell at him for some answers but Jareth knocked at one stone and the door to the Labyrinth entrance swung open and her voice just died in her mouth.

In a moment Jareth vanished from her view and before the door could close again, leaving her looking rather stupid in front of it, she quickly followed him inside.

With a loud crack the door closed behind her and she stood in the outer rim of the Labyrinth and it was just like she remembered it from her first visit.

Jareth had already advanced into one direction and Sarah had to run to overtake him.

She was really angry now and needed some answers.

'Jareth!' she called out and she tried again when he did not stop at all. 'Jareth! Wait! WAIT!' she screamed, suddenly overwhelmed by all kinds of emotions at the same time.

Jareth stopped realizing her outburst.

'Do you want to win or not?' he asked her coldly.

She was startled for a moment. 'Yes of course, but, that's not the point. What the hell is going on here?' she demanded, stamping one foot into the floor, the way she had done it 10 years ago and she felt foolish for it the moment it happened.

The Goblin King sighed and looked into her eyes. 'You are a really stupid girl,' he started.

Sarah wanted to kill him, but since he raised a finger to stop her, she paused, for now.

'My brother tricked you. He made you believe that he stole one of your siblings, and you foolishly as you are, made a bargain with him.'

'Wait,'” she stopped him. 'He did not? He did not take Penny? But how, she was not there when I checked. Don't lie to me!' Sarah demanded.

Jareth just shrugged. 'I am the King and only I am allowed to take children to the Underground. You are running the Labyrinth for nothing. And even if you win, you could never go home, since you did not imply this in “ _I run the labyrinth and if I win Penny can go home_ “.'

Sarah was shocked.


	2. Chapter 2

It took a moment for Sarah before the harsh truth finally sank in. She really was a fool.

She made a bargain with the stranger from the train who just happened to be Jareth's brother. On top of it she promised him to stay in the labyrinth forever since she forgot to imply that not only her sister could go home if Sarah wins, but also Sarah would be able to return.

She just shook her head and softly. 'No...' while her hands grabbed at her heart. Sarah felt like fainting when suddenly a strong hand steadied her at her arms.

In a moment Sarah was back from her thoughts and now very aware that these hands that held her belonged to the Goblin King himself. He looked mildly alarmed and partly amused.

'You know,' she started and looked straight into his mismatched eyes, 'you could have really told me, that you have a brother like this.' She managed to smile and Jareth let his hands fall to his side and laughed. 'Well, you never asked. Last time you visited you seemed hardly interested in my family affairs,' he replied dryly.

She was not sure how to reply to this without getting angry again. 'Let's keep going then. I don't like the thought of your freak brother winning,' and she made a step to go on, when Jareth held her back once more. In one graceful movement he had pinned her to the wall and his face was very close to her own. She gasped and was rather caught of guard by his sudden change. He looked like he would like to eat her, his eyes glittering darkly.

'You have absolutely no idea what you are facing this time,' he breathed through thin lips. His tone was harsh and she did not dare to interrupt him, but simply lifted her chin defiantly.

'You think this is all again a nice game, a task set up to impress you, to make you live your dreams, to become the heroine once more. You are so very wrong if you believe this!'

His grip tightened around her wrist and she winced.

'The Labyrinth has changed as you have. The dangers untold have become very real, since your fears have become very real. I doubt that you still fear the monster under your bed. The fears you will be exposed to are those of a grown woman. Fears like insecurity, illness and death.

This is no piece of cake.'

He suddenly let go of her and turned.

Sarah rubbed her wrists and inspected them for any remaining lines, then she turned and looked at the Goblin Kings back.

'I know,' she said, 'I know that it is not going to be easy, but I would have done it nevertheless for Penny or Toby. And even if he tricked me, I am always going to win in the end!' she finished making an assuring gesture which she knew he could not see, but she needed this to make herself believe that she could do it.

Also it was not only her life at risk, also his kingdom. She could simply not explain why he was here. Why would he risk so much for her. There must be another reason, she was sure. Something more important than simply the life of a mortal girl, she just needed to find out, but asking was not an option. The way to the castle was long and 13 hours could change a lot, maybe he would tell her at one point or another. She went at Jareth's side and smiled at him. 'Let's go.'

He nodded and went on.

They were silent for some minutes and Sarah realized that Jareth was again searching for something that she could not see. The way seemed to go on endlessly, but nothing here was the way it seemed. Maybe Jareth knew the way since he was the king, so she did not bother to look for the right direction herself.

After 20 very silent minutes Sarah really felt the need to speak to him, but Jareth looked so grim, that Sarah could not help the feeling that maybe even the king did not know the path.

'It's hidden,' she said and Jareth turned, his eyes only slits.

'Really?' he snarled.

If the situation was not so grave she would have laughed at the sight of the lost king in his own kingdom, but she bit her tongue and told him of her first visit and the worm she met and who helped her to find the obscured passage.

'So you say we only need to find a worm and ask for directions?' the way he emphasized every syllable made her suggestion sound very ridiculous, but Sarah insisted.

'Well, yes.'

Now she was in lead and she felt Jareth eyes boring into her back.

She was not really sure if this Labyrinth would work like this, too, but she had no other plan and Jareth also seemed quite at a loss and was therefore in a very bad mood.

If he was running his Labyrinth for the first time himself, she felt sympathetic for him, since she had felt the same when she was going aimlessly through these walls ten years ago.

She let her hands wander over the stone at both her sides, but there was no hole. Suddenly her hand felt something sticky and she pulled it away with a start.

'Irgh,' she made a face when she saw the spider webs between her fingers. 'I think the cleaners could take care of this part once in a while.'

Jareth only lifted an eyebrow when suddenly a tiny voice answered.

'That is very rude young miss!'

Sarah and Jareth turned their heads in unison in the direction to where the voice was coming from and it piped again.

'Yes you! You ruined my home and then you say it's all dirt! That's rude!'

Now Jareth raised both eyebrows and was about to squish the poor thing when Sarah went between them, although she hated spiders, especially those fat black ones like this talking one.

'I am sorry. I did not mean to insult you or ruin your home. I apologize,' and she bowed low before the spider. Jareth gave her a look as if she had lost her mind. People should bow before him, not before a simple spider.

'I was just searching for the way that leads to the castle beyond the goblin city,' before the spider could protest she went on, 'I am sure you know the Goblin King.'

She pointed at Jareth who only snorted in disbelief.

'He lives in this castle and I am to safely guide him there. This is really important,' she added.

'The King?' the little black spider asked.

'Never heard of him.'

Jareth advanced again to bring an end to this conversation and Sarah stopped him once more.

'But do you know the way, the way to the castle?'

The little spider was thinking hard and swung back and forth on her thread from which she was hanging.

'Hm, I know a way,' she replied.

'If you take that way, you will meet my family,' she smiled, as far as Sarah could tell.

'Your family? Well, that's nice,' Sarah managed a half-smile.

'No, we are not interested in you family,' Jareth said and tried to drag Sarah away.

'That's a pity. It's such a shortcut and the entrance is right here, next to me,' she swung in one direction to indicate the way.

'Over there.'

Sarah stretched out her hand and felt nothing, there was indeed a gap she had not noticed before.

'It's a way!' she said happily, but Jareth stopped her.

'What?' she snapped.

'We will find another way,' he insisted.

'No we won't. This is the way and we should used it as long as it is there,' she felt stubborn.

Jareth loosened his grip and shook his head.

'Then have it your way.'

Sarah smiled triumphantly and thanked the spider before she went through the invisible door. What she could not see was Jareth who stopped before the spider and hissed at it with a murderous voice.

'Thank you.'

And he crushed it with his gloved finger.

 

After they had passed from the outer rim of the labyrinth into it's core, the surroundings had changed immediately. What had been stone walls to both sides were now trees. So many trees that it was hard to tell if there was any way at all. These trees were tall and dark and there was hardly any light at lurking through the leaves.

Although the day had been bright and warm, Sarah now felt cold without the light and there was mist swirling on the ground which made it even more difficult to see.

The roots of the trees were gnarled and she had to place every step very carefully so that she would not stumble and fall.

Sarah walked rather aimlessly for a time, but she did not want to look back at Jareth's face accusing her of choosing the wrong way. As long as she heard him walking behind her she was contend with only his breath that would assure her of his presence.

The longer they went on, the darker the forest got and Sarah had the awful feeling that something bad was going on. It was not long, before she saw the spiderwebs braided through all the branches and twigs. They glittered in the mist rather beautiful, but they added an eerie feeling to the whole place.

Sarah stopped for a moment and looked up into the trees, when she finally saw all the spiders sitting in the webs, watching.

She gasped and her eyes widened in horror. The spiders in the trees were not as small as the one who told them the way, these ones were enormous! All black and hairy and the eyes glittered with malice. One spider alone could overtake her easily.

'Happy to meet the family?' Jareth asked dryly while he put a hand on her shoulder.

Sarah swallowed hard while she did not take her eyes from these creatures. The spiders were still watching them. She hated spiders so very much and it was the worst the moment they would move. She just could not avert her eyes for she was always waiting for them to crawl down to her, which finally would make the whole thing real. Outside of the Labyrinth she would scream and run for her vacuum cleaner and just suck them in. But she doubted that there was anything large enough for this things.

'They seem really nice,' she replied tonelessly.

'Lovely indeed and they love to eat meat, so we should really get away...now!' Jareth urged her and again took her by the hand.

'Yes,' Sarah said bewildered and was finally taking her eyes of the spiders, hoping they would just stay where they are.

The moment Jarteh and Sarah started running, the spiders advanced at once. The sound of their eight legs running over the ground made Sarah's hairs stand up, but she did not look back and just kept running not letting go of Jareth's hand.

She was running for her life, but there was just no end to this forest. The trees were going on forever and the spiders were not only behind them, but Sarah saw with horror that spiders were lowering themselves from the trees in front of them. Jareth turned sharply and they were running into a different direction, but there were spiders, too. They were just everywhere and Sarah was not sure anymore if entering the Labyrinth a second time was a good idea at all.

When finally a fat spider jumped at them Sarah screamed and swung her hands protectively over her head. She heard Jareth exhale sharply and dared open her eyes again.

He was standing before her wrestling with the spider. The black beast tried vehemently to snap at his face, while he just managed to keep it at bay.

But there were much more spiders coming at them, Sarah realized with terror. She grabbed the first thing she found on the floor which was a slim branch and she started to whip around her. She tried to hit as many spiders as she could, but they were just too many and the next ones were coming from above.

One particularly nasty looking one with thick black hairs and seemingly a million pairs of eyes was right in front of her and snapped. Sarah was too slow and she immediately felt pain in her left arm. The beast had torn her sleeve and blood was now sipping through the fabric.

She gasped in terror. This Labyrinth was indeed very different than the last time she entered. You could get harmed and in this situation they would very well be dead soon.

Her head raced for some idea to safe them both. She had no intention do die here, least being eaten by spiders. Suddenly she grabbed at the last thin solution she could manage to find.

'LUDO! I NEED YOUR HELP, NOW!!!' she screamed at the top of her lungs while beating frantically at everything moving around her.

She was standing now back to back with Jareth who still had to manage the one spider trying to bite his head off. He was too preoccupied to scold her for this foolish idea.

She nearly lost hope herself, when suddenly she heard a faint howl in the distance.

'Ludo! We are here!!! We are here! HELP US!!' she yelled again, hitting one spider right into the eyes which provoked the spider to retreat for once.

The second time the howl was much nearer and to her great relief the spiders froze in their actions.

Jareth panted heavily when the spider had finally let go of him.

They were listening, Sarah and Jareth as well as the beasts and then everything was as if happening in slow motion.

A tiny rock was rolling against Sarah's left food and she looked down. Then a larger one joined his companion and another one. Sarah lifted her head into the direction from where the stones seemed to be coming.

And then it began. Big rocks came rolling over the tree trunks in hundreds. The sound was deafening, but Sarah had never heard something more wonderful.

They rolled and tumbled and the spiders started to run for their lives. Some climbed the trees a lot of them were too slow and got crushed under the heavy rocks.

Although the scene was rather bloody Sarah was so very happy and relieved and she loved the sight of spiders pinned to the ground.

After a moment everything was over just as fast as it had started and Jareth and Sarah were standing in a pool of crushed spider guts and stones, surrounded by silence.

When Sarah saw something moving in the shadow of the trees she tensed again, lifting her branch but when it came nearer she saw that it was her huge, hairy friend Ludo.

She ran into him and hugged him as tightly as she could.

'Ludo! Ludo! I am so happy you came! You saved my life, our lives,' she hinted into Jareth direction.

'Sarah friend,' Ludo simply put it.

Sarah beamed at him and ruffled his long hair.

'You are the best!'

When Jareth suddenly spoke right next to her it made her jump, since she hadn't heard him moving.

'That was rather impressive, indeed. And I expect no less of my loyal creatures,' he crossed his arms in front of him.

Sarah rolled her eyes. The Goblin Kings pride seemed to be hurt. He got saved by a simple creature of his Labyrinth.

'A thank you would do it, you know,' she patted Ludo and gave Jareth an incredulous look.

Ludo was confused and simply raised a hairy eyebrow.

'King bad, but Sarah nice,' he nodded.

Sarah laughed and Jareth snorted and shook his head unbelieving.

'Ludo, can you show us the way out of these woods?'

Ludo nodded and walked on. Sarah followed him, but Jareth still feeling affronted was not moving.

When Sarah turned her head to look for him, he just shrugged and walked on beside her.

'So, you are afraid of spiders?' he asked her.

She shot him an irritated look.

'What are you implying with this?'

'Clearly the spiders came from your fears and not from mine,' he smiled.

'Yeah so what?' she snapped, 'and you are afraid of nothing?”

He did not reply but his smile lost some of the smugness.

She did not expect him to answer, but finally he said, his eyes fixed onto the way before them.

'You don't want to see my fears, precious, but if you do, you'll wish you had not.'

 

After the encounter with the monster spiders Sarah was glad to just walk through the woods following Ludo as their new leader. Jareth was walking beside her in silence. When Sarah winced all of a sudden he was right at her side.

'What is it?' he asked, his voice more concerned than she would believe him able.

She lifted her injured arm. She had completely forgotten about the cut from one of the spiders. The fabric was torn and she peeled it away to have a better look at the wound. It burned like hell, she winced again.

Suddenly Jareth took her arm with both hands and inspected it. He looked very grim, his eyes darkening with anger.

'I am sorry but...' she started to justify, when Jareth took a part of his cape and just ripped it in pieces. Before he could take care of her arm she protectively hid it with her other arm.

'Sarah,' he growled and before he would force her she gave her arm back into his care.

He was very careful, she had to admit. While he rolled the fabric over her arm it did nearly cause her no further pain and it was effectively stopping the bleeding.

He inspected his work one last time and then simply let her arm drop.

By this time Sarah's cheeks were already flaming red and she was very happy that Jareth just turned and looked where they were.

'Thank you,' she said with a thin voice nearly not audible at all.

If she could have looked through his back she might have caught the faintest of smiles on Jareth's lips, but she could just inspect his cape flowing in a low breeze.

'Now,' he started, 'where is you hairy friend gone to?'

Sarah head spun around and Ludo was indeed nowhere to be seen.

'Ludo? Where are you?' she called. There came no answer and Sarah got worried.

'We have to look for him.'

'Sarah, we don't have time for this,' Jareth stopped her by grabbing her at the shoulder to stop her from running.

'But he is my friend and he just saved us!' she yanked free from his grip and started to dash in one direction.

They had already abandoned the woods and were now surrounded by the hedges of the Labyrinth. There were so many possible directions one could take it would be easy to get lost which would also apply to her if she was not careful.

In this Labyrinth there was death lurking behind every corner and she started to get really worried for Ludo.

'Ludo?' she called again.

And out of nowhere someone was laughing. She turned and expected to see maybe Jareth behind her, but she must have lost him. Which was already bad, but this laughing troubled her even more. She glanced around and there was now a big old tree standing lonely in a small clearing.

That one had not been there ten seconds ago, but everything was possible here.

The voice came directly from the tree and when she approached it, she saw a man, dressed in black with spiky black hair sitting in the branches, still laughing.

It was Jareth's psycho brother and she turned immediately, when he stopped laughing.

She heard a thud behind her, which told her that he must have jumped from the tree and was now most likely directly behind her. She turned as fast as she could and nearly crashed into his chest.

'Hello Sarah,' he greeted her with his most lovely smile.

He was just as beautiful as Jareth was, but his eyes were tainted with something Sarah could not quite put, but it was completely freaking her out and urged her to run as fast as possible away from this man. Were Jareth was maybe only playing at being the villain, this man meant to be one.

She advanced to take flight, but the dark figure grabbed her easily at one shoulder and kept her at his chest.

'My dear, stay a little longer, will you?' he hummed.

Sarah frowned but did not openly show him her displeasure, she just looked him challenging straight into the eyes.

'You know I already defeated one fae king, I think I am in the mood for kicking some fae prince's ass,' Sarah mocked him.

His smile only widened.

'I look like a villain, don't I?' he lifted his chin and tried looking probably innocent, but failed badly and laughed.

'Yes Sarah, I am the dark prince in this story. But maybe that is only the part that I am supposed to play.'

'What do you mean?' Sarah asked before she could take back the words, again **Cáelán** smiled mysteriously and started to twirl one strand of her hair absentmindedly, which disturbed her even more.

'Sarah you are one of the very few Champions the Labyrinth. You made quite an impression. And the king, he was devastated. All creatures in his kingdom started to question him as a ruler. They called him weak and demanded him to leave the throne for someone more... appropriate.'

He was still caressing her hair and Sarah felt the urge to slap his hand away.

'You know for someone used to winning, this was quite a blow....my brother was never again the same.'

**Cáelán** turned his gaze from Sarah and looked for some time unfocused into eternity as if remembering some dark passages of his past.

'But there was one thing that kept him going, one fuel that made his fire burn even higher. Can you guess?' his eyes came back at her face and Sarah nearly blushed for the intensity of his stare. She shrugged.

'Revenge!' he answered for her, 'his desire was to receive absolution through revenge. And he plotted this for years and year. And now Sarah, suddenly your are back, the king himself at your side. Don't you think this is somewhat strange, that the king is condescends himself to help a mere human?' he raised an eyebrow.

Sarah needed a few seconds to digest the new input. She was not sure if this fae was telling her more of the truth than any other would do, but somehow it made sense.

'But what would Jareth gain by losing the kingdom to you?' she pointed out.

**Cáelán** made a step back from her and put his hands into his hips.

'Why should he lose, he is the king, he knows the Labyrinth best. He's just here to make sure, that you are definitely going to lose...and in addition to this, he will be right at your side to enjoy the scene.'

An evil grin spread over **Cáelán's** face and made him look like some kind of bird of prey.

Sarah swallowed hard. Could this be true? Was Jareth only at her side to make her lose and this time lose hard? She could not quite believe it, but on the other side, even at her last trip to the Labyrinth Jareth had never seen particularly interested in her. Not that she was a threat to him, things might have changed entirely. But then again...

'Why are you telling me this? If your brother knows that you are betraying him, that does not quite seem right,' she crossed her arms expectantly for the answer to come, proud of herself that she might have seen right through him.

What then happened was not quite what Sarah would have expected.

In one swift motion she was surrounded by the fae with the black hair. His arms around her back and his head so very near to her own. She could smell him, a dark taste but not entirely unpleasant. He was so close to her, she stopped breathing without realizing it.

'Because...I don't think it is fair,' he embraced her even more and one hand was stroking her back.

'Sarah you are so special, so beautiful, absolutely unique,' he purred into her ear and she could not help but start to flush. Her hands were hanging helplessly at her side.

'Maybe the goblin king had given certain powers to the girl, but it was the prince that had fallen in love with her.'


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Non-Con!

Sarah went stiff. Still trapped in the goblin prince's embrace her head was racing, but it was no good. She could just not understand what the dark haired man had just whispered into her ear.

He was in love with her? But they had never met, except for the one encounter in the train.

As if she was paralysed by this words, the counterspell followed immediately when suddenly the lips of the Goblin Kings brother were softly caressing her ear.

Sarah felt instantly alive again and tried to shove him off, but he held her firm in place, while Sarah struggled hard against him.

Still he was kissing her at a very sensitive spot and her body was betraying her. She felt her legs getting all wobbly and was hardly able to stand anymore. Also her attempts to get away from Cáelán were losing it's force and her mouth nearly escaped a soft moan when suddenly someone cleared his throat.

Cáelán very slowly lifted his lips and answered mockingly.

'Brother, what a bad timing you have.'

Very slowly, savouring every inch of Sarah, he let go of her and finally Sarah could turn around to see the Goblin King behind herself.

She was disgusted at herself looking all flushed and confused. Jareth had a look of murder in his eyes.

' _Did the temperature just fell down to zero?_ ' she mused and slung her arms around her chest protectively.

'You can have your toy back,' Cáelán laughed and gave Sarah a forceful push that made her fly forward and landed directly in Jareth chest, which was the last place she wanted to be right now.

'Play nicely,' Cáelán laughed and with one spark of glitter he was a raven again ad flapped into the sky.

As soon as possible Sarah pulled away from the Goblin King and was not able to say anything. She wished both of them could just forget what they had just seen.

Jareth also did not move or speak, but his breath was very uneven, as if he was holding his anger back.

Finally Sarah resolved that she might start to de-escalated the situation.

'I am sorry,' she said although she did not quite see what she might have done wrong, besides getting seduced by one very attractive goblin prince.

He stopped her even before she could say anything else.

'Nothing to be sorry about. You have always been easy prey,' he mocked her with an harsh undertone.

She was outraged. Things were totally getting out of her hands and she had no idea whom she could trust. Preferably it is best while being in the Labyrinth to trust absolutely no one, she decided.

Her mouth gaped several times open, but she was not sure what to throw at him.

'If this is about your revenge I am not making one step further! You need to drag me to my end, if you so desire it!' Sarah screamed and again stomped her feet like a child.

Jareth stopped dead in his whatever action he wanted to take. He looked at her blankly and narrowed his eyebrows.

'Revenge?' he asked, so soft she could hardly hear him.

His face had now a tortured look and Sarah wondered if she should not have thrown these words at him.

He nodded sadly.

'I see. Once the villain always the villain.'

He let himself fall to the ground and sit on the grass. His gaze locked onto the ground, he nearly seemed hopeless.

She pitied him in this moment, although she should hate him, but something inside her, was telling her, that she knew nothing.

She took a seat next to him and explained.

'That's what your brother said. Look, from my point of view this is perfectly making sense. But from his point of view it is making sense to make us jump at each other so we lose, both of us. So...I really don't know what to think and...,' Sarah motioned wildly with her arms, 'it's not making things easier. You haven't been Mister nice guy the last time we have met, but you haven't been bad either.' She lay her head on her knees and was toying with the grass.

'I just came to understand this a few years after the labyrinth. You only did, what I wanted you to do, so in the end, it was me who was the real villain in that story.'

Sarah fell silent at did not dare to look at Jareth. This was the first time she had allowed herself to finally express these thoughts.

When there was no reply she raised her head to check if he was still next to her. He looked at her in utter astonishment his lips slightly parted as if a dragon was standing in front of him.

'What?' she snapped.

The Goblin King started to chuckle and suddenly he was laughing, an honest laugh that made the corners of his eyes sparkle and somehow made the world around her a tiny bit more bright. It was directly pulling at her heart since she had never seen him without a perfectly performed mask of emotions. This time everything was real and he let his head fall onto the grass and lay laughing for a while.

Sarah only watched him, smiling. Somehow she was happy that this journey she was able to spend more time with the Goblin King although the circumstances could have been nicer.

When Jareth finally finished laughing he came back into a sitting position and shoved a hand through his feathery hair to regain some of his composure.

Then he looked at her very seriously.

'If you are not sure whom to trust, you can always count on this,' and he lifted his arm and pointed with his finger directly at her heart. His finger was nearly touching her chest, but it still left inches between them.

Sarah looked first in wonder at his hand and then at the Goblin King. Such a sincere gesture was something she would have never expected the king to perform and still she already felt the colour creep back into her cheeks. She swiftly looked into the other direction.

Without another word Jareth got up and just held out one hand to her, to help her to stand up again.

'We better keep on going. No time to lose.'

She nodded in agreement and after some hesitation took his hand. He put her back onto her feet and immediately let go of her hand again.

'Now,' Sarah took in their surroundings and was completely at loss which direction they should follow.

'Which way?'

Besides the old tree the clearing was surrounded by a large hedge which had at least ten holes to all sides, each one looking exactly like the other.

'Come,' Jareth went straight in the direction of one hole and took Sarah's hand to guide her. She wanted to pull her hand away at first, but she was not very keen to get lost again and have a second meeting with the raven man.

They walked on in silence for a while. Each one lost in their own thoughts. Sarah tried to fit the pieces together in her mind of everything she knew so far. The mad brother, Jareth helping her for revenge or for some hidden reasons and on top of that her own messed up feelings.

She could not explain why she enjoyed it so much being near the Goblin King. There was something that dragged her towards him and this was not only about his looks.

When she could not make sense of anything she asked.

'What's wrong with your brother?'

Jareth chuckled and turned to Sarah while following the only possible way surrounded by hedges.

'We are not on very good terms to begin with.'

And with this he halted and looked into the sky. Sarah only stopped inches before she knocked him over. She did not protest but waited for him to continue her eyes locked on his features.

'Well...it all started a very long time ago. My mother died soon after she gave birth to me. My father grieved for her a long time until after some years he found solace in another woman.'

Jareth paused and breathed sharply while Sarah felt excited to receive so much private information about Jareth that she did not dare interrupt him. She felt like carved of stone and nearly stopped breathing. Then Jareth continued.

'They had another child together. You can guess who, my dear brother **Cáelán**. So we are only half-brothers. The new women my father loved, she did not like me very much and she liked it even less, that I was to become king. She preferred of course much more her own son on the throne, but my father would not hear any of this.'

While he kept on talking his hands were closing and opening as if he was concentrating to keep his feelings at bay.

'If my brother did something wrong, my stepmother always found a way to blame it on me. My father blinded by love, was not able to help me, so I fled into the Labyrinth. Our family is directly connected to it. This might sound strange, but our feelings are its feelings, too. So while I was here the Labyrinth turned a dark and treacherous place mirroring my feelings and also protecting me from harm.'

Sarah was so transfixed with his words the world could have fallen apart around her, she would not have realized it.

'That is also the reason why I was not able to protect my father.'

He sighed and lead against one bushy hedge his gaze now at the ground.

'The women killed him and I became king, much to her distaste, but she had it planned out all for years...the only missing piece of her puzzle was my death. But she did quite underestimate me.

I caught her in the act and banished her from the kingdom, but not her son. **Cáelán** was still a young boy at the time and I was hopeful, that under the right guidance he might grow up becoming a rightful and understanding person. I quite misjudged him.'

A hollow laugh followed this statement and he pushed himself away from the bush, facing Sarah again, who was quite startled by the sudden attention and the abrupt end of the story.

'And then you came.'

He pointed his gloved finger at her and raised an eyebrow.

'You made me look a rather bad king and a fool. Lost against a teenager and a girl. You could not have given my brother a greater gift. He was delighted!'

Sarah felt the tiniest bit sorry for Jareth, but not really. If he lost, it was his own fault and not hers.

'From then on he started to persuade everyone to bring down the king and of course, make him the new Goblin King. But he was quite unsuccessful in his attempts, so he needed a new plan....which is the point where we again come back to you.'

Now Jareth had reduced the distance between them while he spoke and he was standing right in front of her, his eyes looking directly into hers, obviously searching for something.

He seemed to expect an answer from her.

'I have no idea why it's all about me. I think it's more about you. You and your sick brother.'

'You think so?'

Jareth smiled sadly and his hand softly stroked her right chin. This touch seemed completely out of place right now for Sarah but she did not move to stop him. She just looked into his face trying to figure out his thoughts, but she had soon to admit that this was simply impossible.

It felt like they remained connected like this for hours when suddenly Jareth broke the contact and moved around.

'We better keep going, 13 hours is not long at all.'

A bit startled still Sarah began to move and followed Jareth down the way.

They walked in silence for a while until Sarah had to ask another question that came to her mind after Jareth had told his story. Actually she had a thousand question, but this one was the most pressing one.

'How is it possible to be connected with a Labyrinth?'

Of course Sarah knew that in a world with magic, everything was possible. But this one seemed a bit odd to her. She always thought Jareth only ruled over the goblins and his castle just happened to be surrounded by a maze, making it nearly impossible for an intruder to reach his majesty. It seemed more like a kind of protection and less a part of the king himself.

Sarah already lost hope that Jareth would answer her, when he started to explain.

'The underground is made of magic. His inhabitants are immoral if they chose to be. I am, as all the kings before me, responsible for everything connected to the Underground, but I am not the only king here. There are neighbourhood kingdoms as well. Although in a world were magic exists, no one needs to suffer, the kings of old got bored and started fighting each other, just because they could.'

'Now there was one young prince who did not like to fight for fun alone. People and creatures alike died in these battles. So he decided to hide and take everything with him that was dear to him.

He built the first Labyrinth with the castle in it's centre. In order to make the Labyrinth more complex he parted his soul and put one bit of himself into it, so that it was able to think and act for itself.

From now on, every intruder would have to face not only hedges but a thing of it's own will. No Labyrinth run is the same as the one before.

But the kings of old they cursed the prince and instead of his beloved ones he was now the king of the goblins and on top of that as a punishment for his cowardice he would have to answer to the call of every human wishing away their children. One child to replace one death from a fight he was never part of.'

'Now this was thousands of years ago and the fighting has stopped for ages. But my line is still here, still connected to the Labyrinth and still bound to the curse of “stealing children”. But not for war anymore, simply for bored fae who would like to raise a child.'

Sarah was impressed by the story and it put Jareth in a whole new light. So he was not stealing children for fun, but because he had to.

'I thought you turned the children into goblins!' Sarah blurted out.

Jareth laughed.

'No my dear, that would be terrible. I have more than enough goblins already.'

But then Sarah became serious again.

'What would happen if you just stopped taking the children?'

Jareth stopped dead and looked Sarah into her eyes. He seemed as if he had never asked himself what would actually happen if he did so. He narrowed his brows and shock his head.

'I...I don't know,' and he laughed again.

'It's so long ago...I just assumed that I had to. As soon as we are done with my brother I will make sure to find out.'

Sarah smiled at him. She liked the idea of lifting the curse from Jareth's family and she liked it even more, that Jareth seemed to not enjoy taking the children in the first place. Which would mean, that the whole thing he had put her through all these years ago only happened not because she had wished it to come true, but it was meant to be. Jareth had to act accordingly and if deep down in his heart he did not like doing what he must, maybe he had made her win.

Also when he was only acting on command maybe it also explained his cruelty towards her. Maybe he was just angry at himself that he needed to play the villain while in truth he would have liked to free the child.

This new picture of Jareth Sarah liked much better. Sarah had always been a bit scared of him, but all hear fear had vanished with the new input. Of course, she kept being suspicious. With Jareth you never knew if he was telling the truth, but he had told the story in such an honest way, that she just could not doubt his words this time.

After some time of silent walking they reached another clearing. Right in front of them was a gate with a heavy looking iron lock. To the sides left and right were tables, beautifully decorated with all sorts of food. Cakes, cookies, macarons, candy and lollipops, everything one could wish for. Also there were colourful drinks filled in sparkling cups and bottles. All in all it was like entering paradise of foodporn.

Sarah marvelled at the items while Jareht went straight for the gate.

He inspected it's lock and it was engraved with “ _Eat and you will see_ ”. Jareth let go of the lock again and it fell back with a klink. The Goblin King put a hand through his hair and looked rather lost in thoughts.

'Are you afraid of sweets?' Sarah simply had to ask, because she was sure that for her this was absolutely no nightmare, on the contrary she would eat everything if no one would stop her.

'You don't understand,' Jareth shot her an angry look.

'We are supposed to eat and the door will open, the question is, what else is going to happen. For all I know we could die eating.'

Sarah had not thought of that. Of course, this Labyrinth might indeed offer them poisoned food, she was not sure if she wanted to find out.

'Maybe there is another way,' she started but Jareth already shock his head.

'I will eat and you won't touch anything. If the gate opens, you have to go on. Regardless of what is happening to me.'

Jareth eyes had a serious look and he put his hands on her shoulders.

'Do you understand? You have to go on, come what may.' His eyes seemed to burn into hers. When she finally understood she yanked free.

'I am not leaving you here for good! Are you mad? I just won't! Don't you ever dare ask something as stupid as this again from me!' She lifted her finger to silence him at once.

'I won't eat anything...so far I agree, but whatever will happen. I will find a way without abandoning you!'

Jareth seemed at first as if he was about to fight her words, but then the tiniest of all smiles appeared on his lips. He grabbed a small muffin and took a bite. 'Have it your way.'

And with this he swallowed and fell to the ground as if dead.

Sarahs eyes widened in shock and she screamed.

'Jareth! JARETH!!'

She was immediately at his side and checked for his heartbeat. He was still alive, his breath was even but slow as if fast asleep. Sarah was relieved but worried at once. What should she do? She called his name again a few times, then she very softly shook him at his shoulders. Nothing happened. Panic was rising in Sarah's chest.

Sarah could not help but remember when this had happened to her ten years ago. She had fallen asleep after she had eaten the poisoned peach. She had entered a dream that was made of her hearts deepest desire. If it was not for Toby she would never have been able to flee this dream. Maybe Jareth was now trapped as well in a dream? She could only hope that he was strong enough, to see through it and remember her and the Labyrinth.

But suddenly Sarah felt very sad for the Goblin King. There was not much in reality that would await Jareth that was worth waking for. A mad brother and a human women he had forfeited his life for. She absent-mindedly stroked Jareth cheek when suddenly she became aware of another presence, a shadow looming above.

When Sarah turned around she had half expected seeing Cáelán again, but it did not improve her mood, when she indeed saw him leaning against the now open gate toying with a peach.

'I always felt that sweets are not good for the health,' he started, his eyes fixed on Sarah while he was juggling the fruit with one hand.

Sarah stood up and placed herself between Cáelán and Jareth.

'He looks quite innocent doesn't he in his sleep?' and he started to approach Sarah with slow steps.

When he was right in front of her he reached out for her and caressed her face.

'I love you Sarah,' he hummed.

Sarah slapped his hand away.

'That's a strange kind of love! If you love me, why don't you start helping!'

'But I am helping you,' he grabbed her by the waist and in one swift motion she was locked in his arms, 'I am helping you to understand.'

His voice was soft as velvet, but Sarah was not in the mood for games.

'Let go of me, now!'

Cáelán laughed. It was not a pleasant laugh but made Sarah shudder all over. While one arm was still holding her tight around her waist, the other hand was now holding her chin and lifting her face up to face his eyes.

'You are the most beautiful woman in the World and the Underground together and you smell like peach,' he sniffed at her hair which was an intimidating gesture while having him this close.

'I dreamed of us being together like this. Can't you imagine it Sarah? You and me, a king and his queen! I will worship you everyday, I will show you pleasures you never even dared dreaming of.'

And to underline his words he started to lick her throat. Sarah exhaled sharply. This was totally her weak spot and she struggled to keep control over her body.

When she realized that Cáelán's hand was starting to explore a region of her body further down her back, she again wanted to break free of his hold, but she was distracted when suddenly Cáelán had bitten softly into her throat. She moaned, without realizing it and her body pushed itself nearer to the male body presented in front of her.

'Yes Sarah,' the prince whispered into her ear, 'just give into me.'

Her head was swimming. She was not able to tell up from down, the only thing she was able to feel was Cáelán lips on her throat and his hands moving freely above her body.

When Sarah opened her eyes, her gaze fell upon the open gate in front of her and suddenly her mind was all clear again as if someone had emptied a bucked with ice over her head.

Whatever she was doing with Cáelán, she just stopped dead, her arms dropping to her side.

'Let go of me,' she hissed.

When Cáelán ignored her, she repeated her words not only with more force, but also underlined by kicking at him.

'Let GO of ME, NOW!'

Cáelán who was at first confused by her sudden change of mood, took two steps back from her and narrowed his eyes.

'I see.'

'You are nothing compared to Jareth! And you would be the worst king the Underground has ever been presented with!' she spit at him.

Cáelán only laughed and his aura was dark and cruel.

'Yes, I am cruel. Let me show you.'

And with this he came close to her again. His hands grabbed her injured arm and squeezed it tightly. When Sarah screamed in pain he twisted her arm around, so that her back was at his chest and she was facing the still asleep Jareth.

'You could have had the easy way, but no...not anymore.'

He tore at her shirt and its remains fell to the ground. Sarah only screamed again watching in horror at the fabric lying on the ground.

This Labyrinth was very real. This situation was very real.

Cáelán hands were now working on the lock of her bra and Sarah was horrified by what was going to happen to her. Tears burned in her eyes.

'Jareth...Jareth please wake up...please, help me...'

She felt Cáelán lips again at her now bare back, it had lost it's passion, she only felt disgusted by his touch.

'Jareth...please...help.'

And she closed her eyes. Maybe it was in the end just a bad dream and she would soon wake up. Back in her bed, back with Toby, Karen and her Dad.

Suddenly everything was silent around her and she felt, that Cáelán had let go of her. She opened her eyes.

In front of her was a raging Goblin King. He looked more otherworldly than ever. The air around him was electrified and his eyes were glittering. He looked alarming, about to kill, magic was pouring out of every of his pores.

All at once Sarah realized what was about to happen and she only managed to scream at Jareth in time to avoid the worst.

'Don't use your magic! You are not allowed to!'

Jareth averted his look from his brother to look at Sarah again. She was very much aware of her bare breast, but much to her relief, Jareth did not much care. He gave her the tiniest of a nod and with one swift motion he was at his brother and punched him very hard in his pretty face.

Cáelán stumbled backwards and held his nose. Much to Cáeláns surprise Jareth had not used magic and therefore the game was still on.

'You bastard!!!' Cáelán yelled, transformed back into a raven and was gone from the scene.

Without another word Jareth, unfastened his cape, pulled down his leather vest and shirt and handed the shirt over to Sarah.

She wanted to protest, but was at the same time very glad for his simple gesture. She put back on her bra and then Jareth shirt on top. It was quite lose on her, so she had to make a knot in order to make it fit. It had a wonderful smell to it she realized.

Now the only problem left for her was Jareth bare chest. She could not help but stare and her cheeks became red again. Thankfully he still had the vest and cape, but still Sarah was now opposed to more of his skin than she liked to.

'Thank you,' she started.

She could see that Jareth was much more shaken than she was by what had happened. She was not sure how much Jareth had actually witnessed, but she hoped it was only the smallest part.

He looked so grim, that Sarah felt the urge to cheer him up, sadly after all that had just happened she was not feeling very cheerful herself. So she just settled for taking his hand into hers.

The Goblin King looked even more shocked by this simple gesture but he did not pull away. He nodded and together they walked through the open gate.


	4. Chapter 4

After a while Jareth began to talk.

'I am sorry to put you through all of this.'

He sounded not only sad but devastated. Sarah wanted to contradict him, but he went on.

'This is between me and my brother. You should have never become a part of this. It would have been best, if you had only lost ten years ago.'

'What?!' Sarah was shocked and immediately removed her hand from his.

'No! What about Toby? It would definitively not have been better for him to stay in the Underground away from the ones he loves!'

Jareth just shrugged.

'Who can tell, maybe he would have been happy here, too. And you, you would be save.'

He looked away from her, his expression grim, full of loathing. Sarah was puzzled about this sudden outburst, but finally understood.

'It's not your fault. Whatever this is all about, it's not your fault. If anyone is to blame then both of us!'

She put a hand on his shoulder, but he did not turn his face towards her.

'It was my decision to wish away my brother, to run the Labyrinth and also to return.'

Jareth lips became a thin line.

'No,' he said coldly. 'You were tricked to run the Labyrinth this time and the first time. The book with the red cover, it was no coincidence that it happened to be in your possession.'

That made Sarah pause.

'What?'

'I wanted you to run the Labyrinth,' his hands became fists at his side.

'I wanted to get to know you so badly, that I just had to find a way, to get you Underground.'

It was clear that this confession was hard for Jareth, but it was nothing compared to Sarah's shock over this new truth of events.

'Why did you not just ask me out for a date like normal people do?' she snapped, although she was sure, that this might not quite apply for Goblin Kings.

'I can not enter your world without being summoned,' he answered.

That explained one part, Sarah mused but one very important question was still hanging in the air.

'Why me?' Sarah asked.

And for the first time for a very long time Jareth turned to face Sarah again. His expression was pained and it seemed as if every word from his lips would increase this pain even more.

'We have met each other long before you run the Labyrinth ten years ago.'

Sarah's eyes widened.

'We have? I don't remember...'

Jareth silenced her at once.

'You would not remember this, because you were only a toddler back then.'

It took Sarah only a few seconds, before she had grasped the meaning of his words. She gasped in shock.

'I was wished away?' her hands grasped Jareth arms to support her. She felt suddenly very weak and like fainting. Jareth immediately held her waist to prevent her from falling.

'Yes,' he confirmed.

'Your mother Linda, she asked me to take you away.'

Sarah would have cried if she was not too stunned by his words.

'It was not because of you,' he tried to assure Sarah without much success.

'It was because of your father. She loved him very much, but when she found out that he did not love her anymore the way he once did, she was so angry, that she wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt her. And the only thing she knew was that he still loved you as much as she loved him. So she asked me to take you away in order to hurt your father. But when you were gone, she immediately regretted her decision, because you meant the world to her. Without you and without your father, she was nothing. She did run the Labyrinth and she won you back.'

Although appalled by his words Sarah could not help but be a little bit proud of her mother, beating the Goblin King so many years ago to save her, but nevertheless it left a foul taste in her mouth.

'If she loved me this much, why did she then abandon me and Dad in the end?' Sarah could not help but ask.

Jareth was still holding her in a kind of embrace, his left hand was slowly stroking her back like he was patting a wild cat in order to soother her temper.

'Sarah, Linda did not leave you in order to pursue her dreams. She left, because her dreams were the only thing she could not have.'

'Linda Williams did not dream becoming a famous actress. When I offered her the poisoned fruit, she was surrounded by a happy and whole family. And when she realized it was not true she smashed the crystal just like you did. She would have loved to accept my gift, but she could not leave you, like you were not able to leave Toby.'

Sarah listened with her head low. Her forehead was now resting against the Goblin Kings chest, her eyes looking at her feet while the first hot tears had managed to escape her eyes.

'When she returned together with you in her arms, she knew that she could not go on living like this. Her dream of a family was broken and she could not fix it. She had risked your life for her own revenge and in order to be of no harm anymore to you, she decided to leave.'

Sarah could not suppress her sobs and the tears were now flowing over her face like a small river. She tightened her grip on Jareth's arms, but he did not protest. He held her tight, one hand now stroking her hair and he was speaking to her with a soothing voice.

'Shh, Sarah, it's all right. You can cry, it's all right.'

After several minutes had passed Sarah managed to get hold again of her emotions. She brushed the remaining tears away with one hand, but she was still not able to look Jareth into his eyes.

Somehow she hated him for telling her this, but on the other side he was at no fault here. She knew her mother well and she knew that what he told was true and exactly the way her mother would act.

Sarah had never quite understood why her mother had left her, but finally she had an answer. Many years too late and coming from the wrong person, but still an answer.

But it was no use right now, to let all her feelings from the past wash over her, she realized. There was still she Labyrinth and Cáelán. She would have to sort her feelings out after this task was finished.

'Now,' she started, 'you still did not explain why me?' and she looked up into his face with her swollen red eyes and tried to manage a smile, at which she failed badly according to his expression.

He ruffled her hair.

'Because you are special. You were then and you are still.'

He smiled and it was obvious that he would not add anything more to this statement.

They walked on, both still holding each others hands. Their surrounding had changed from green hedges to a vast, desert like plain. There was not much that would hint at any kind of direction. They just walked on. If the Labyrinth wanted to stop them it would sooner or later present them with another obstacle, so it was no use to ponder about the way.

Sarah's head was still racing with thoughts. She wondered if the Goblin King was nearly as confused as she was. For all she could tell he looked quite cool and in control like always. But from the way she had seen him, when Cáelán was hurting her, she was sure that he _did_ care.

_'The Goblin King had fallen in love with the girl...,_ ' Sarah suddenly remembered and somehow it made sense. Jareth was at her side at all times, protecting her. Even the first time ten years ago, he had been there at her side, offering himself to her.

' _Fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave,_ ' this were his words. Clearly an offer a teenager was not able to fully grasp it's meaning. Sarah stole a sideways glance at Jareth. His gaze was locked onto the surrounding, his lips thin, the eyebrows narrowed. He looked stern and determined. On the other hand, his touch to her hand was soft and somehow as if he would not let go, whatever would happen.

Unbidden Sarah's heart began to quicken it's speed. Why would this excite her so much?

When she felt Jareth's grip tighten she was ripped away from her thoughts and her head went up.

In front of them was standing the house of the Williams family. It was the only thing standing out for miles and looked rather lost.

'What?' Sarah wondered when she suddenly heard a scream.

'Help me Sarah! Help me!'

Sarah's eyes went wide. It was Toby! Toby needed her help. Cáelán had brought him here and surely he was torturing him.

Jareth intensified his grip, but it was no use. Sarah had used all her force to get free of him and was already running at full speed to the house.

'Toby! I am coming!'

When she arrived at the door she swung it open, like she wanted to tear the door apart, although it was not locked.

She entered the house now a bit more careful, checking what might be lurking in the dark corners.

It was very still around her. She did not hear Toby anymore and she dared not to call out for him to not give away her position.

First she checked the living room. It looked quite normal until Sarah spotted a single shoe. It was one of Karen's favourite pair. When Sarah rounded the sofa she saw Karen lying on the ground and surrounded by blood.

Sarah's hand flew up to her mouth but she could not look away. Dead...he killed her! She leaned down to touch her, but Jareth had caught up with her and was holding her back.

'Sarah!' he implored her, 'come with me.'

But she did not listen but again escaped his grip and ran up the stairs, screaming.

'Toby! Penny? TOBY!??'

When she found her father sprawled over the floor she fell against the wall for support. She could not breathe anymore and it was like everything was black around her. She would have fainted right there but a thud coming from Toby's room caught her attention. She passed her fathers body and slowly entered trembling Toby's room.

Her brother was lying lifeless on his bed. There was no one else in the room with him and Sarah approached her brother as if moving in slow-motion.

When she was standing before his bed she thought he might only be asleep, he looked so peaceful and then she reached out for him. His body was cold to her touch, he was not breathing anymore and as she took a closer look she saw the blood that had already drenched his sheets.

'NOOOOO!!' Sarah screamed and threw herself protectively over her dead brother. 'NO! Toby NO!'

She was shaking all over and she buried her face in her brothers hair. Her tears were already blinding her sight, but she did not care. Nothing mattered right now. If Cáelán was behind her and about to kill, she did not care. At least she would be were Toby was right now. She did not care.

She was cradling Toby's body and sobbing uncontrollably.

She did not realize that Jareth was already at her side and she also did not notice his hands at her shoulders.

'Sarah, we have to go.' he began, but she did not hear him.

'Sarah! This is not real. We have to go on!' he said now with a bit more force behind his words. Her answer was a hand shoving him away from her.

'No...' she sobbed.

Jareth sighed and was for a second at a loss. Then he grabbed Sarah around her waist and pulled her away from Toby with all his force. Since Sarah was light as a feather for him, it was not much, but she was like a wild animal, kicking and screaming at him. She even scratched him with her fingernails.

'No! No! DON'T take me away! I need to protect Toby! I need to stay at his side!!'

Sarah struggled against Jareth unyielding grip. Tears were still blinding her and suddenly Jareth voice was right next to her ear as he whispered.

'Sarah please trust me. Just this time, please trust me. Let me help you and trust me.'

When Sarah stopped her protest for a second, Jareth took his chance and lifted her up into his arms. Holding her head to his chest, he continued speaking soothingly into her ear.

'Close you eyes. Don't look anymore. It's a dream, a nightmare. It's not real. Your father is still alive as is Karen and Toby. They are safely at home. Cáelán does not have the power to bring them here. It's the Labyrinth playing with your fears. Trust me Sarah, please trust me.'

Sarah allowed him to carry her outside. She was too weak to protest anymore and she leaned against him inhaling his scent, when suddenly he started to sing in a low voice.

_There's such a sad love_  
Deep in your eyes.  
A kind of pale jewel  
Open and closed  
Within your eyes.  
I'll place the sky  
Within your eyes. 

She relaxed while she listened to him. ' _He has such a lovely voice,_ ' she mused and deep down she remembered the song.

When Jareth finished his song, Sarah curled up into his arms. He had managed to calm her down and if he would not have been at her side, she would have stayed in the horror house forever, forgetting everything about her task, about the Labyrinth.

She inhaled deeply his scent. He smelled like everything she loved: cinnamon rolls, the air after the first rain in spring, a fire burning at the fireside.

Without realizing it she had started to stroke his chest with one hand. Jareth was sitting on the ground with Sarah on top of him. One arm was holding her back and the other was still caressing her hair. His breathing was even she realized, but while being this close to him, she observed that his heart was beating faster than it should. Maybe he was exhausted saving her every few minutes or he felt just like Sarah did right now.

Sarah had to admit that the Goblin King must feel something for her, although she was not sure if love was the right term for it. He had already admitted that he felt she was special to him. In addition to this his actions clearly indicated something beyond duty.

But what did Sarah feel for Jareth? This was an entirely different thing!

She had always felt attracted by his appearance, but who wouldn't? He was a god on legs!

Ten years ago she was more than flattered by his interest towards her, but she was too young to understand. The years following the incident in the Underground had slowly unveiled the truth to her when she was not a teenager anymore but an adult.

What Jareth had offered her was love. And what Sarah had wished for deep down in her heart was being loved.

Of course after the Labyrinth she still pursued this dream with several messed up relationships. But she always felt that something was missing, that none of the men she spent her time with, were giving her enough. And then again she felt that she was just asking for too much overwhelming the people closest to her.

Hoping that one of them would turn out to be a magical being, immortal and able to move the stars for her. This was just ridiculous.

And now she was here, in the arms of the man who was able to give her exactly all these things at once.

She buried her head even more into his chest, her lips nearly touching his collarbone. It felt so right, but how could she accept him now, when she had already rejected him ten years ago. She would only make a fool of herself turning back now.

'Jareth?' she began and he only answered with a very content sounding, 'Mm?'

'It seems like you don't fear anything. The Labyrinth has only presented to us parts of my fears so far. The spiders, the assault of your brother, the...house.'

Jareth moved her head carefully to look her into the eyes. He studied her for a moment and replied.

'Not at all. My fears already became very real for me.'

His gaze was serious.

'When I ate the sweets and fell to the floor, I was not asleep. I could not move, but I was able to witness everything.'

Sarah winced, she did not like it that Jareth had seen her so weak.

'I feared that I would lose you then and it nearly drove me mad,' he confessed and Sarah watched him with wide eyes.

'But then you chose me over him, which broke the spell,' he smiled absent-mindedly and although they were already very close he hugged her even more.

'Thank you,' he whispered into her ear.

Sarah did not know what to reply to this, so she only returned the hug leaning her face against his ear, closing her eyes.

When he released her again there was a moment when their faces were very close to each other. Sarah studied his expression, if she leaned an inch closer their mouths would meet. She held her breath and her heart was beating so fast, she feared she would pass out every minute now. She felt his breath on her skin and suddenly she had goosebumps everywhere. For Sarah this moment felt like ages and no one moved, they only looked into each others eyes, searching for whatever answer they might find there.

The spell was broken, when suddenly something harrumphed behind them and both their heads turned in unison.

'Hrmpf, sorry to disturb this meeting, but I just thought you might need a bit of help.'

'Hoggle!' Sarah screamed and was immediately up on her legs and hugging the old dwarf.

'Hmpadjskfj,' he jabbered since Sarah was covering his face with her tall figure.

'Oh...sorry,' she apologised and made one step backwards. Jareth was already at her side, his eyes tainted with a very unfriendly look.

'Hogwart...what a pleasure...'

'It's Hoogle!' the old dwarf corrected him angrily.

Sarah intervened by asking the obvious.

'What are you doing here?'

Hoggle was scratching his back, he looked uneasy.

'I...I should not be here,' he started.

'Indeed,' the Goblin King glowered at him.

'It's Cáelán. He is already acting like the new king, sitting your throne, kicking goblins and so on. But, you don't have much time left,' he fumbled with his belt while he was talking and did not look anyone into the eyes.

'You only have two hours left you know.'

'Two hours!' Sarah repeated shocked. Only two hours and the castle was not even visible by now.

'How should we make it in time?'

'Yes, yes. That's why I came,' Hoggle patted Sarah's leg assuringly.

'Wanted to inform you to hurry a bit up and also...' he fumbled again with his belt, 'I wanted to show you a shortcut.'

'Hoggle, really? That's great! I can always rely on you!' Sarah smiled and hugged him again.

'What are you playing at?' Jareth interrupted with an air of cold mistrust.

'Am not playing anything...just helping a friend,' the dwarf confirmed while he looked into a different direction.

'What did Cáelán promise you for your help?' Jareth probed.

Hoggle shook his head violently but Sarah came to his help.

'Jareth! I know that you don't like him very much, but we can trust Hoggle. He is my friend, just like Ludo. Hoggle would never do anything that would harm me.'

Jareth laughed.

'Indeed, but he was the one offering you the peach.'

Sarah was unnerved by this statement.

'Yes, but that's what friendship is about. Forgive and forget.'

Jareth raised an eyebrow and stared at Hoggle with cold eyes.

'I will kill you in person, if you betray us.'

Hoggle nodded, turned and gestured that they should follow him.

They walked a short distance and Hoggle was heading for an especially ordinary looking stone. Then he fumbled for his keys, inserted one into a tiny whole and with one loud swish the stone swung up like a trapdoor and below was a stair leading into a dark tunnel.

'Wow,' Sarah said admiringly.

They descended into the darkness. Sarah was slightly reminded of the Oublitte. When she could not make out anything anymore she asked.

'How much further is it Hoggle?'

Her voice echoed through the tunnel. Sarah stopped dead realizing that it was not only dark, but cold. Panic was rising into her throat.

'Hoggle?' she called again, but her voice broke. There was no answer.

When Sarah felt a hand at her shoulder she screamed as if death himself was behind her.

'Sarah, please it's me! Me! Jareth!'

She stopped screaming, but she could not see anything in the darkness.

'How do I know it's really you. For all I know you could be anyone!' she pouted.

'Ask me something only Jareth could know,' the shadow proposed.

Sarah thought for a second.

'What colour was your costume at the masquerade ball?'

'Midnight black' came the reply.

Sarah turned to face the man, she could not see and in the dark she tried to find his hand. After several unsuccessful attempts she finally made it and gave it a soft squeeze.

'I can't see anything in here. It's so dark and where the hell is Hoggle?' she protested.

'I am loath to tell you, but it seems that your noble friend has abandoned us and lead us into an Oublitte,' Jareth pointed out sarcastically.

Sarah leaned into Jareth.

'But he is my friend, how can he do this to us?'

Jareth sighed and patted Sarah's head.

'You have been away for a very long time my dear. Things have changed. Hoggle did not take it well, that you never called for him anymore.'

'But I meant to!' Sarah justified herself.

'I really did...I was just afraid that it had not been real. That no one would answer if I asked for it,' she sniffed.

Jareth put his arms around her.

'After the Labyrinth everything changed for me, too. I felt so bad what I had done to Toby. I wanted to become a better person at once. I stopped daydreaming and started helping Karen in the house. I always watched Toby if no one else was taking care of him. I was also hardworking at school. I received better grades and in the end started to study at a notable university. I graduated with an award and started a very well paid job. I was always acting responsibly and putting my own desires away. I just felt that I deserved to live like this after all that I had done.'

Sarah wondered how much meaning school and university would have in the Underground, but since Jareth was not asking about it she continued.

'Somehow it was like I forbid myself to become happy. Like I had forfeited my dreams by rejecting you. But now that I am here, I see that I was scared of my dreams. Like my mother was.'

Sarah sighed.

'I was scared to ask for my hearts desire and rather lived to avoid it.'

She could not see Jareth expression but he was very still. The only thing that reminded her of his presence was his breathing and his heart, that was thumping against her chest.

'Your hearts desire...' he repeated.

All of a sudden there was a loud bang and both of them were bathed in light. Sarah had to shield her eyes and she made a few steps backwards. Whoever it was that interrupted her, she would make sure to put him headfirst into the bog of eternal stench!

'My lady! To the rescue!!' she heard someone scream, followed by a shrill trumpet and a barking dog.

After a few seconds her eyes finally adjusted to the light and she saw that there was a hole at one side of the cave. In this hole was a fox, riding on a bushy old dog.

'Sir Didymus!' she cheered.

'My lady! We have not forgotten. We will always be your loyal servant,' and the fox bowed low.

Sarah could not help but laugh. Somehow she still felt the urge to kill anyone but the manner of the knightly fox was so adorable she could not help but thank him.

'Thank you very much Sir Didymus. You arrived just _in time._ '

Sir Didymus beamed at her, very much pleased with himself.

'His majesty,' he addressed Jareth who was also not looking very pleased, 'if you would follow me. I can show you the way out.'

They followed the fox and his dog and when they reached the surface the Goblin city was already in sight.

Sir Didymus turned towards them.

'I am sorry, but I can not accompany you any further. And I am also sorry for my brothers betrayal. Do not wish him ill. He was offered a great price for his service,' the fox explained.

'What was he offered?' Sarah asked curiously.

'Cáelán promised him to make him human.'

Sarah understood this too well. The dwarf had had a crush on her. Surely he thought if he was human, she would like him much better. She shook her head and put her hand onto Sir Didymus arm.

'It's ok. Tell him I forgive him, will you?'

'Of course me lady,' and the fox bowed low again and rode off.

'With your friends you don't need enemies anymore.' Jareth observed dryly.

Sarah only rolled her eyes and started to walk again towards the city looming at the horizon.

 


	5. Chapter 5

When they arrived in front of the city gate it was all open and no goblin was to be seen. The only odd thing about the place was, that the gate looked as if it was open, but when getting near it, there was a surface that rippled as if the gate was sealed with a thin coat of water.

'A portal,' Jareth pointed out with expert eyes.

'Ok....where will it lead us?' Sarah asked impatiently.

'Anywhere.'

'What?' Sarah shot Jareth a look of despair, 'but then it could lead as back to the beginning? Or into another Oublitte! We have to find a different way, this is too risky.'

Jareth moved a hand towards the surface and thick waves were distorting the image of the city beyond the gate.

'We are meant to enter,' Jareth shrugged.

Sarah was gaping at him. He seemed to somehow not care anymore. Maybe he lost the interest in being king anymore or maybe he wanted her to stay all the same.

'No!' she stomped her feet, 'I am not entering this portal without knowing where it will lead. Maybe you don't care, but I would like to go home at the end of the day.'

She crossed her arms defiantly. Now it was Jareth part to get angry.

'Well my love, if you would like to go home, you still need me to be king. Your bargain with my brother would make you queen regardless of you reaching the castle or not. He will never send you back.'

And to make a point, he also crossed his arms in front of his chest.

'Maybe you think this is all good fun, but there is a lot more for me at stake as for you. Cáelán will kill my people as soon as he is king. He will start a war with the neighbourhood kingdoms, he might even start a war with your world and he can not control the Labyrinth. It will go all wild and become a harm for everyone entering it! But my! The important thing is that Sarah Williams can go home and lead on her miserable live!'

His eyes were burning while he said this and Sarah gripped at her heart. His words stung, although she knew of course that he was right. A kingdom full of people or goblins, a thousand lives to protect, it was more important than her destiny, but she was too stubborn to agree right now.

Tears started to pool into her eyes and she wanted to run away. Since there was not much a choice she jumped into the portal with one swift motion and closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again she was standing in a great hall made of marble. In front of her was a wide staircase. When she moved towards it she realized that her clothes had changed. She was not wearing her Jeans and Jareth's shirt anymore, but she was wearing a wide white dress with sparkling ornaments. Also her hair was different. Something silver was woven into it. Suddenly she passed a mirror and saw her reflection. She looked stunning, just like she did ten years ago, for it was the same dress. Only she was looking older now and this time she had not the impression to be overdressed for her age, but this gown was made to be worn by her.

She hastily took the stairs which lead to a swinging door. She heard music and laughter emerging from the room next to it.

Sarah's pulse began to race. Was it really all happening again? She loved and feared this memory at once.

Ten years ago she was lost within all the strange figures surrounding her, not knowing what this was all about. Reflecting on the scene as an adult, this whole ball was clearly about seduction. To her great relief Jareth had found her and protected her. She was totally enchanted by him, following his every word he sung to her. If it was not for this damn clock! She was sure they would have kissed.

And she was also sure that Sarah would not have thought about Toby anymore afterwards.

What would happen this time? Would she have to flee again, would Jareth be with her or would it be his brother Cáelán to introduce her as his queen.

When she entered the room, she was at once the centre of attention. Everyone was looking into her direction, everyone was whispering behind their masks. But Sarah was not intimidated this time. She felt like Cinderella and she advanced confidently into the room. When everyone had seen enough of her they resumed their play and dance again.

Sarah was shoving through the dancers looking for a glimpse of the Goblin King. It was hard to tell with all these masks surrounding her. Right now she was the only one without. At least Jareth would have no difficulties to find her, if he wanted to. This thought made her stop. Maybe he was still angry at her and he would hide from her. Or worse, maybe he feared this dream as much as she did and would rather not relive it.

She sighed but resumed her search. In the corner of her eye she suddenly saw a hint of midnight blue. But it was gone as soon as she turned. She started to follow, but when she shoved away a pair of harlequins there was no one behind them. She turned again and this time she saw a streak of silver blond hair. She dashed forwards as fast as the gown would allow it, but again she found no one.

She crossed her arms. He was avoiding her on purpose, she was sure of that. She thought for a moment and took a huge fan from a woman standing beside her.

'If I may borrow this.'

Without waiting for the answer, Sarah was already gone, hiding behind the fan and finding cover behind some dancing animals.

This time she spotted Jareth straight away. He was also looking for her, but only to run from her and not towards her. She tiptoed into his direction always checking that she was well covered either by the fan or by some dancers.

When she finally arrived at his back, she reached out for his arms with a firm grip.

'Got you!'

He turned around his expression cool with one eyebrow raised. Her heart sank, she feared that he had forgotten who she was, but then he nodded.

'If you “got” me, maybe you will also share a dance with me,' he offered her and gestured towards the dance floor. Sarah beamed at him and made a curtsey.

The moment they started to dance the other dancers immediately made way for them and it was as if the music was now only playing to accompany their steps.

Sarah felt light in Jareth's arms and she enjoyed his company very much. Truth be told, she would love to dance with him forever. Even Jareth seemed to enjoy the dance, he had the tiniest of all smiles playing around the corner of his mouth.

When the song was over and the music stopped, both bowed low and Jareth made to leave her.

She stopped him by grabbing his coat. He turned and waited for her to speak. Sarah felt like she lost all the words and she was breathing hard. She had to hold on to Jareth now with both her hands.

'I won't run away this time,' she managed to say and with all the courage she could muster she leaned forwards and kissed him.

She had already kissed a few men before, but this kiss was overwhelming. His lips were soft and electrifying at once. The world stopped moving around her and she closed her eyes. Jareth had slung his arms around her and he was kissing her back with all the feelings he had had to restrain all these years. For Sarah nothing mattered anymore and if she could only stay in Jareth's arms, she would die a happy woman.

But suddenly Jareth broke the kiss. Sarah raised her eyebrows questioningly.

'I am sorry. I can not keep you. I need to let you go,' and with this words he let go of her, turned, took one of the furniture and threw it with as much force as he could at the walls of glass.

Just like it had happened the last time, everything was flying up into the air, Sarah was falling and with a thud she landed on her back.

'Ouch!' she protested and rubbed the sore spot. When reality came crashing in she decided to lie down again and close her eyes.

She had offered her love to him and now he rejected her. It was not fair or maybe she even deserved it.

She had feared that he would do so, but now that it had happened it felt even worse. Tears were stinging in her eyes and she rubbed them away with the back of her hand.

'Are you going to lie there forever?'

It was Jareth, she knew, but she did not want to see him right now, did not want to be mocked by him for her feelings. She laid her arm over her eyes.

'Go away.'

She heard his steps approaching and his voice was suddenly very near, so she glimpsed up from under her arm. He was sitting next to her.

'We don't have time for this.'

She was up in one swift motion.

'What do I CARE!' she screamed.

'Like you already pointed out, it's not about me, it's about you! So why the hell should I accompany you? Just go into the castle, kick your brothers ass and be happy. You certainly don't need ME at your side.'

Jareth expression was somewhere between anger and confusion. Sarah looked around for the first time and realized that they were already in front of the castle. Sarah interpreted Jareth's puzzled look that he might not have shared the dream with her. The realization stuck her and colour crept up her cheeks. She looked into a different direction to hide it from Jareth.

'What happened?' she demanded.

'You jumped into the portal which made it disappear. You were not transported anywhere but fast asleep lying on the floor. So I had to carry you all the way through the goblin city.'

Sarah felt ashamed to no end, she was such an idiot.

'I am sorry...' she added abashed.

He offered her his hand to get up.

'I hope you had a nice dream. But I am glad that you did not stay in it.'

Sarah knew exactly what he meant and she would have liked to tell him, that he was the one kicking her out of the dream.

'I prefer reality,' she assured him.

They entered the castle together. It was completely deserted. Jareth told her that he had not seen a single goblin within the city, too. When they entered the throne room, Sarah could not help but remember the time when she entered here together with Hoggle, Ludo and Sir Didymus.

Even the chickens had left and the only witnesses of their presence were feathers flying through the air.

'Well, still some time left,' Sarah observed while she pointed at the old clock standing at the wall. There were still 10 Minutes before the time was up.

'A piece of ca...' Sarah started to say when suddenly a hand was closing her mouth from behind.

Sarah began to struggle immediately but Cáelán was not only way too strong for her, he also used his magic to bind her with a rope.

'Now, what have we here. Thank you for the safe delivery of my bride,' Cáelán laughed, 'you will excuse me brother, but I need to take care of her now.'

And with one elegant motion he and Sarah had vanished from the room. The last thing Sarah saw was Jareth haunted expression in his eyes.

When she opened her eyes again she was in the Escher room. Somehow this did not surprise Sarah anymore.

'Personally I liked the idea best to let you rot together with my brother in the Oubliette, but I somehow underestimated this old fox. Don't worry, as soon as I am king he will receive the punishment he deserves.'

Cáelán was dancing around her like a little child waiting for Santa Clause to arrive. He had put Sarah on the edge of one arch. From here she could oversee the whole room, but she could also fall very deep if someone would give her a little push from behind.

'You are not going to win you loser,' Sarah spit at him.

Cáelán looked nearly mad right now and Sarah wondered if she was going too far, but he only laughed.

'I really begin to like you. I see why he was so obsessed with you.'

Something in Sarah's look must have given her away for he continued.

'Oh, you did not know? He did not tell you? Well who would, kind of creepy no? Since you first came here as a toddler, he watched you _all the time_ , through his crystals.'

He made a gesture as if juggling the crystals himself.

'He watched you day and night. There was not much of a king left anymore if you ask me. Stalking a little girl like this,' he tsisked.

'And on top when you were a little older he even lured you into his labyrinth, asking you to stay, but you threw it right back into his face.'

He laughed again, he sounded right out of his mind.

'I would have married you for this alone. He was devastated, not himself anymore and that was my chance to take over. Ten years now I planned and conspired against him and the only thing that I was missing to get what I want was you. And it was SO easy. Really I expected much more of you, but you so willingly offered your help. I could not say no to this and my brother jumped right into my trap.'

He grimaced and pointed at a figure entering the Escher room at the bottom of the room.

'Jareth!' Sarah called out to him.

The Goblin King looked up to her and started to run up and down the stairs. Sarah knew exactly how he must be feeling right now.

'Yes, come Jareth, come my dear brother, come and get the girl!'

Cáelán called out to him. Sarah had a bad feeling about this. Something terrible would happen as soon as Jareth would arrive at her position.

She wanted to warn him, but Cáelán's hand was again holding her mouth and he whispered into her ear.

'You don't want to spoil me the fun, do you?'

If there was anyone she really hated, it was this man she decided. She would have bit him, but he was too strong.

When Jareth arrived Cáelán was again holding Sarah up in front of him like she was a shield for him.

'Now, did you loose your toy Jareth?' the black haired man mocked.

'Let her go, she has nothing to do with this,' Jareth said calmly.

'Everything has to do with her! You became a weakling as soon as you met her! Your kingdom gone to ruins! You dropped everything the moment you brought her back!'

Sarah could not quite follow this now, but Cáelán did not wait and continued.

'Yes, Sarah, your dear mother she did not beat Jareth. She lost and she lost you to the fae. But Jareth had pitied her so he broke the treaty, bringing you back, always watching that no one would come and claim you. He doomed us all!'

Cáelán now screamed the words at his brother.

'But then he found the only loophole he could use to reset the order. If he would claim you, you would become part of the Labyrinth again, but he needed your consent. But failed SO badly.'

The man holding Sarah was laughing like a maniac. His words seemed to torture Jareth more than a weapon would have. Sarah could feel his pain through the whole room.

'But I am loathe waiting! Your are a poor king! I will claim her myself, as my rightful possession as a fae and I herby declare me the new king. You lose brother.'

And with this the clock started to stroke the 13. hour.

Sarah was not sure how to fix the situation. Jareth did not advance for fear that Cáelán would push her over the rim, but she could not let him win, would not let him win!

Suddenly she heard Jareth voice.

'I am sorry Sarah, for everything,' his eyes were honest as he continued, 'I wanted to break the curse, I wanted to set you free, but I risked too much and when I realized what I had done it was too late and I could not turn back.'

'It's true that I tried to make you stay with me the first time you entered the Labyrinth. But not this time.'

He went silent and looked to the ground.

Cáelán listened to the clock. Nine...Ten...

'I love you Sarah,' Jareth finally admitted and looked her straight into the eyes.

Sarah's heart stopped, the time stopped, everything stopped around her as she replied.

'You have all the power in the world over me.'

And the whole room broke into pieces. Cáelán lost his grip around Sarah his ropes dissolved into nothingness. The Goblin King was shining like a new born star and Cáelán fled from him flapping away as a raven.

Jareth was smiling at Sarah and Sarah was smiling at him, taking his hands as they fell together through time and space.

Sarah closed her eyes and when she opened them again she was standing in her old room at her parents house. The room was dark except for the bright full moon shining through the window.

'What?' she stammered, but suddenly there was a movement in front of her. It was the Goblin King standing by the window. This time he was dressed in his full regalia, black boots, tight pants, a leather jacket over a loose shirt with a deep cleavage where the golden, horned pendant was resting. His feather cape was flowing down his shoulders and he looked much more kingly than at the beginning of their journey. Only his eyes remained cool and distant. Sarah wondered what had happened in the last few seconds. Up to now he was a man smiling at her and here they were again with an unspoken distance between them.

Sarah turned into Jareth direction.

'What happened, why are we here?'

Jareth was leaning against the window frame, his arms crossed.

'I brought you back, because that was a part of the deal and I reordered time, like last time.'

He did not look at her while he spoke and Sarah took a few steps closer into his direction. She was shaking her head in confusion.

'So nothing of this ever happened?'

'Exactly,' he nodded.

'What happened to your brother? How are Hoggle, Ludo and the others?'

The questions just came bubbling out of her mouth and Jareth lifted one hand to stop her words. He put one gloved finger at her mouth and Sarah watched him eyes wide open.

'I already took care of Cáelán. He is to join his mother in exile. He won't be able to ever enter my kingdom again, except through the Labyrinth, which he will never be able to pass. Don't worry about your friends, Sarah, they are all well and unharmed,' he gave a weak smile, like exhaustion was taking him over now.

Sarah was not quite content with his replies and she shoved his hand away from her mouth.

'And the curse? I thought you have to bring me back Underground in order to get everything back to normal.'

The king lifted his gaze and met Sarah eyes. He studied her for a moment and replied.

'Yes, I need to bring you Underground, but I would never do this without your permission. I know you love your family and I will never part you from them. I am willing to take the risk though, I am the only Goblin King they have, so the punishment won't be severe. Don't worry.'

Jareth lifted his hand again and caressed her cheek. Sarah swallowed hard. So this was good-bye all over again. Just when she realized that she loved this man he was sending her off, it was ridiculous.

'No!' she protested and Jareth lifted an eyebrow questioningly.

'No! I mean, I thought we just agreed, that we both like each other very much,' her hands were clawing at his shirt, as if she tried to prevent him form vanishing into nothingness.

'And now you say are okay to leave me?' Sarah felt hot tears stinging in her eyes and the words stuck in her throat.

'SO! You listen Goblin King, because I WON'T leave you, now!'

'Sarah...,' Jareth put his hands on top of hers and was able to slowly part her from the firm grip around the fabric he was wearing.

'I appreciate this very much, but you don't know what you are about to do.'

'Then tell me!' she hissed.

'When you return with me Underground, this means that you will age very, very slowly. You will live for near eternity. You will be young forever and maybe you will even be able to use magic after some hundreds of years. But you will never be able to return to your human life. While you see Toby and Penny growing up, you will stay young. They will die and you are still here, unchanged. I can not ask you to chose this life for me, I just can't...' Jareth voice was sounding hopeless by now.

'It's only forever...that's not long at all,' she replied weakly and her head fell forward so that her forehead was resting against Jareth's chest. She was still holding his hands. This close to him, she did not want to miss this feeling ever again. She loved his smell and his presence alone made her belly do strange fluttering things. Of course Jareth was right, what he was offering was eternity, but an eternity only with him, excluding her family and she loved them very much. She did not want to choose one over the other, it was not fair!

'Will there be no way to visit them?' she asked into his shirt. Jareth let go of one of her hands and stroked her head.

'Of course you can visit them. I can magic you here, whenever you like. But when the time comes, I will have to put a glamour spell on you, so that you appear much older, than you are by then.'

Sarah was very much relieved by this.

'But,' Jareth resumed, 'I don't recommend visiting too often. It can be very disturbing for you to see them grow, change, being human. You might regret your decision and the chagrin will eat you from inside, until there is nothing left of my once so happy Sarah.'

He loosened the embrace and lifted her chin with his hand, so that he was able to meet her gaze.

'In the Underground there are wonders of different sort, but I can not make you stay.'

She nodded.

'When I come with you...what will happen to us?'

Jareth chuckled and kissed her forehead.

'If you want to, we can become husband and wife and live happily ever after.'

'If this was a proposal it was a rather poor one,' she smiled back at him, but pressed one of his hands assuringly.

'When you accompany me back Underground I might repeat this in a more fitting way,' he promised with a hint of hope in his eyes.

They looked at each other in silence for a time until Sarah's smile broadened.

'I love you Jareth and I will follow you everywhere.'

After she had spoken the words the Goblin King started to shine like the sun. At first she thought it was only the earnest smile in his face, but he was literally glowing all over. It seemed like she had made him the happiest man on earth and Underground at once. Before she knew what was happening he was kissing her fiercely. Since the only kiss they had shared so far had happened in a dream the reality was even better. Sarah leaned into the kiss and the world fell down around her.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woop, woop, the story is finished! First I had a different ending in mind...something with a wedding and more fluffy stuff, but it was just not a good combination, so I changed it to this. Thank you for everyone who took the time to read through all of this! This means a lot to me!


End file.
